‘We will spare no effort to safeguard Hungarian families from the threats posed by conflicts worldwide,’ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday evening, following a meeting of the Defence Council convened in response to the Iranian attack on Israel.

The prime minister also released a video message, stating that on Saturday night, previous fears materialized as Iran launched drones and missiles targeting Israel.

‘We strongly condemn this attack. However, its implications extend far beyond the immediate conflict, posing a grave risk of engulfing the entire Middle East in inter-state warfare. This constitutes not just a regional concern but a significant threat to global stability, including Hungary,’

the PM said. He added that the Defence Council meeting assessed the national security and economic implications of the conflict for Hungary. ‘I have directed the Interior Minister and the heads of the counter-terrorism forces to ensure the security of the Hungarian people using all available resources,’ PM Orbán stated.

On Tuesday, the prime minister will travel to Brussels, where he will join the leaders of the European Union member states in reviewing the current situation in the Middle East.

On 13 April Tehran launched a massive retaliatory strike against Israel in response to the Jewish state’s attack on Iran’s embassy in Damascus on 1 April. The Tehran attack aimed at Israel involved at least 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and over 120 ballistic missiles. The Israeli air defence successfully intercepted 99 per cent of these projectiles before they breached the state’s airspace.

‘Hungary strongly condemns the drone and missile attacks on Israel, and we stand firmly by Israel in this matter,’ Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared in a live video message broadcast on Facebook on Sunday. He emphasized that it is not incidental that, during the recent months of conflict in the Middle East, the international community, with Hungary among its members, has consistently stressed the necessity of preventing escalation and exercising responsible action. Regrettably, an overnight missile and drone attack against Israel occurred, presenting a heightened risk of escalation in the Middle East conflict unlike any seen before.

On Sunday, FM Szijjártó also engaged in a telephone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, where he reiterated his support to his Israeli counterpart.

‘Hungary stands firmly with Israel during these challenging times,’ the Hungarian minister stated. Additionally, Szijjártó held discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates. ‘I conveyed to both colleagues Hungary’s hope for the possibility of averting a widespread escalation of the situation. However, achieving this goal will require responsible behaviour from all major players in global politics in the upcoming period,’ Szijjártó wrote in a Facebook post.

In response to the attack, G7 leaders also convened for a meeting. ‘The G7, representing the world’s seven most advanced industrialized countries, along with the European Union (EU), in close collaboration with our partners, are contemplating additional sanctions against Iran. These punitive measures will specifically target the country’s drone and missile programs,’ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The potential for escalation in the Middle East has significantly heightened following the Iranian strike. Israeli President Isaac Herzog characterized the attack as a ‘declaration of war’ and emphasized the urgency for the world to confront what he termed as the ‘empire of evil in Tehran.’ US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night, stating that Washington would not take part in a potential Israeli retaliation.

Netanyahu’s war cabinet convened on Monday and agreed on the need for a retaliatory strike against Iran, as reported by The Times of Israel. However, the cabinet members were divided regarding the timing and method of the strike. The newspaper indicated that while the notion of an immediate response was considered, it was swiftly abandoned, partly due to a cautionary message from the United States.

Former US President Donald Trump also reacted to the news of the attack on Truth Social. ‘This should never have been allowed to happen – This would NEVER have happened if I were President!’, he declared.

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